Area Failed Writer Attempts to Fail at Teaching Writing
So although this is only relevant to Portland writers, I still wanted to share with everyone that I’m going to teach three writing workshops in June using my videos as the launching point (aka: as a crutch for my stage fright).
My ridiculous, overpriced, three-computer writing system
- A MacBook Air
- An iPad
- An iPhone
I don’t know what people officially classify these things but I call them computers. And I do heavy-duty writing (or writing-related) tasks on all three of these computers. But I do slightly different things with each one. So I stupidly end up carrying all three around with me most of the time. Bad on my back (and bad for the way people mock me), but good for my writing.
Area Jew Oversaturates the Geek Podcast Airwaves
So in a zany twist of events, I swindled my way onto two great, geeky podcasts. Both of these shows relate to how I use the Mac/iPad/iPhone, mostly with regard to my videos, but also for my novel writing. If you’re a Mac geek (or a wannabe Mac geek) read on. For those anti-geek / anti-productivity / anti-Apple / anti-Semitic followers, I’m sorry. (OK. That last “anti” has nothing to do with anything, it just seemed to add some heft to the list…) In either case, I’ll soon try to swindle my way onto literary podcasts to balance things out better.
I’m A Failed Writer #11: 10,000 Hours
I intended this video to be about the way I once organized my whole submission plan for magazines. I had this fancy pants spreadsheet characterizing my every step. But a few minutes into making this video, I realized how much I have changed over the years. Now there’s a wife. There are kids. I don’t have time to fetishize the process. But it’s more than that. I also see how we writers are so compelled to obsess over the accolades we think we deserve before fully maturing our writing chops. And so this video turned into a talk about the need to write. To write a lot.
Without doing a lick of research (or even bothering to read his book), I swiped Malcolm Gladwell’s notion that it takes 10,000 hours to master a particular craft. (Don’t quote me on this!) I just love the idea of that number because it is a damn big number. And I think it is roughly true. It takes a long time for most of us mortals to get good at writing.
And so here is my not-entirely-educated take on it:
Publisher’s Mindset
There’s an aspect of the publishing process that I’ve been obsessed with and it has to do with the editing work I did with my editor/publisher. I’m not talking about the copyediting (which was also interesting) but the type of editing where serious reshaping of the book can happen. Let me elaborate…
My Unsavvy Twitter Code of Conduct
I’m not a great social networkky dude.
- I’m totally erratic on Facebook. I’ve missed important births and deaths due to my erraticness.
- I have an interest in Pinterest that apparently isn’t strong enough for me to try it. Or even to understand what it is.
- Google+… I don’t use except to apologize to people who have sadly included me in their circle.
- I signed up but still can’t get rolling with Goodreads.
- But… I love Twitter.
I haven’t been on Twitter long but I find it a fabulous place to loiter. Though in order for me to enjoy it, I follow some rules. Now keep in mind that my goal is just to enjoy the thing, not to maximize followers or sell something. Sure, it would be nice if three or more of my followers bought my book, and I’m sure that I’ll ocassionally mention book release details, but it sounds painful to think about making $$$ on twitter. My goal is to enjoy the experience enough to actually stick around.
Where I turn the Mike Daisey debacle into an Ira Glass fetish
I’ve been a long time fan of This American Life. I don’t listen to every episode but it’s safe to say I’ve listened to more than a hundred shows. This past weekend, I listened to the Retraction episode where Ira Glass apologizes for the piece they played about Mike Daisey and the Foxconn factory, a piece they now know to be full of incorrect information. Here is my reaction after listening to the episode: I love Ira Glass.
I’m A Failed Writer #10: Big Projects, Small Lists
I’m a coward. When faced with a big project – something time consuming, something that will require sacrifices to be made – my instinct is to run away. Fast. No looking back. For that reason, it took me a long time to come around to the point where I (somewhat) enjoy the challenge of a big project. I’m talking about something like writing a novel or being in a long-term relationship. These are things that require work. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year.
The funny thing is that a key method I use to confront these big projects is so simple, so low-tech (so cheap in therapy costs!) that it almost seems like it’s cheating. And here it is:
Author Platforms That Don’t Make Me Nauseous
I’m pretty sick of platform talk. It’s not that I think the concept itself is bad. It’s just that I think the term causes an author to panic and put up a shitty blog full of uninspiring un-unique un-fun advice that probably doesn’t help their book all that much anyhow.
I went to AWP (Association of desperate Writers and desperate Writing Programs) this year with that platform stuff on my mind. (Was also thinking about if the wife would be furious with me for leaving her with the kids for four days.)
Shameful Book Update: February 28, 2012
So I’ve been deep in edits on my novel (most recently titled A BRILLIANT NOVEL IN THE WORKS) the past two months. Far bigger a task than I expected. Basically I had to rewrite the last quarter of the novel and also take into consideration hundreds of other edits and comments. Ouch. But it’s been a good (even if terrifying) challenge. I was pretty arrogant beforehand, secretly thinking that my novel was totally finished when I got the publication offer. But it had more to go, and I’m thankful that my editor pushed me to go there. I’m sure, as with any project, it could be better, bigger, larger, faster, sexier, smarter, deeper, more pantsless. But still, I feel good about these changes.
Now the manuscript is with the typesetter. If I understand anything about the publication process, this is the part where a person carves out each letter from an old growth tree and then glues the letters (with Elmer’s glue) to a piece of parchment made from papyrus…
